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Huckabee Talks Campaign and Radio Days on Letterman
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ShareJanuary 08, 2008 10:11 AM
ABC News' Kevin Chupka Reports: Trying to catch lightning in a bottle for a second time in a week, Mike Huckabee took to the late night airwaves to talk small the night before a major vote.
The Republican presidential candidate chartered out of Concord, N.H. Monday afternoon, taped an interview for the "Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan theater, and was back in New Hampshire for a rally Monday night. Last week, he came under a bit of fire for flying from Iowa to Burbank, Calif. to tape an interview with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show."
"If I win New Hampshire, it's because I did this show. If I lose New Hampshire, it's because I did this show." Huckabee quipped to Letterman Monday night.
The conversation was a bit more political than Huckabee's time on Leno's couch last week. Letterman asked about his preparedness, and the former governor of Arkansas used some familiar language from his stump speech:
"Well, I'd say to think governors have actually run something. They've run a government. They've run, in essence, a microcosm of the federal government," Huckabee said, "Every agency that's at the federal level is at the state level. And you're job is not making speeches, it's making decisions. Every day, you make dozens and dozens of decisions and I think that’s what a President does."
Letterman also asked the question Huckabee has been getting from the pundits ever since he won the Iowa caucus last week -- whether or not New Hampshire and Iowa voters really are that different.
"Everybody tries to make that, but, at the end, what I find is, everybody's an American." Huckabee said, "And I don't care who they are and what they are, they want this country to quit fighting each other politically, and it's what I call the difference between horizontal and vertical politics."
Huckabee added, "So many times, people get totally wrapped up in left, right, liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, and one of the reasons that I ran was I’m convinced that a lot of people are ready for leadership to come vertically."
It wouldn't be late night without a little levity though and Huckabee, whose first job was in broadcasting, told the story of his early days in radio:
"I opened up the station and I had signed on at 5 o'clock in the morning. I had done two hours worth of news, weather, sports, played records – everything's going great. Phone lights start ringing because you don’t have an audible phone, it's a light. I picked it up, the lady says, 'How come y'all aren't on the air this morning?' I said, 'Ma'am, we are on the air.' She says, 'No, you're not, not at my house.' And I thought, 'What a nut,' and I hung up the phone. About that time, I looked up at the transmitter and realized I never turned it on."
(audience, Dave laugh)
"You know what was sad, though, Dave?" Huckabee said, "The bad thing was not just that I'd failed to turn the transmitter on – in two hours, only one person noticed."
January 8, 2008 in Giuliani, Rudy | Permalink | User Comments (7)
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Mike Huckabee will be great for this country. I may not agree with all of his policies but for the most important ones I do. I am vearing my vote towards him....
Posted by: Joe Vargas | Jan 8, 2008 3:00:48 PM
Mike Huckabee is a preacher at heart,in reality a snake oil saleman. Ron Paul is the one person we can trust to run this country. No more Born Agains in the White House ever! Religion and politics is like oil and water. Anyone who believes the earth is only six thousand years old,is unworthy of being president of this nation.
Posted by: AJ | Jan 8, 2008 3:19:48 PM
Until recently I thought Bush was the dumbest president in U.S. history. The Huckster makes Bush look like a genious.
Posted by: Huckleberry | Jan 8, 2008 3:37:03 PM
What I am trying to figure out... is Huckabee was low in the polls and didn't have much to say... now he changes his strategy and policies and sounds like RON PAUL. Can Ron Paul sue him for taking all of RON's popular issues and plans? I think they call in "Plagiarism" Huckabee. I'm not buying it... I look at a Candidate's history, policies, and actions, because most of them just PANDER to the voters when they need VOTES and UNITY, then forget and Polarize Americans and segregate them with stupid legislation. I think the most important part is to see who a candidate accepts donations from and what other political Allies they align with...plus whatever corporations back a candidate... go the opposite! I think the only candidates with Truth and Integrity are: RON PAUL, DENNIS KUCINICH, DUNCAN HUNTER, & MIKE GRAVEL. The rest are just the same OLD WASHINGTON DC EMPIRE and CORPORATE/LOBBYIST WHORES.
Posted by: Carmen | Jan 8, 2008 3:55:16 PM
After reading about Huckabee's attempt to cover up his son's act of cruelty at Scout camp a while back, I certainly wouldn't want to see him become President. Funny no one asks him about his son torturing, hanging and slitting the throat of a stray dog. Sick behavior? Certainly. Also very odd to me that the self-professed Christian would rather try to cover up this bit of darkness rather than get real help for his son. I read that he even had an Atlanta state trooper fired because he wouldn't drop the case. A true Christian would want his son to make amends, do volunteer work while getting professional help. I'm a Christian and Huckabee will never get my vote.
Posted by: Carol Allie | Jan 8, 2008 4:05:40 PM
All you can do is attack instead of make logical arguements. Get a hold of yourselfs and relax. Huckabee for President.
Posted by: Positive Voter | Jan 8, 2008 4:27:58 PM
Gov Huckabee is the right man, at the right time...why?...because we have become so polarized, left-right.liberal-conservative..I believe the country wants a fresh non-polarizing personality...and Huck uses his common sense and humor to calm the political discourse when he and his opponents debate. This country needs to take a deep breath, exhale, and get rid of all current D.C. incumbents...and put in Huck and other non politician types.
Posted by: Mike West Palm Beach | Jan 8, 2008 7:54:42 PM
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